Control mechanism



Nov. 14, 1939.

N. PELOSI CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 50, 1937 A'I'TORNEY5 PatentedNov. 14, I939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE can Can tion of New JerseyCompany, New York, N. Y., a corpora- Application December 30, 1937,Serial No. 182,638

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine line control mechanism andhas particular reference to controlling the actuation of a machine ormachines operating on flat sheet or web material passing therethrough bydetecting variations from a single, uniform thickness in the materialand thereupon stopping the machine.

In the manufacture of various types of articles which are produced fromflat stock for example in the form of a continuous web as fed from asupply roll or the like, considerable difficulty has been encounteredfrom the web breaking or unexpectedly coming to an end. At other timesthe web may have been pieced together by overlapping of broken ends orby a patching together of parts of the web. Such extra thickness of thestock may result in damage to certain parts of the operating machine ifpermitted to be fed through in the usual manner.

The present invention contemplates the overcoming of these diflicultiesand insures only standard web conditions by detecting any break in theweb or by detecting any extra thickness. After such detection and beforethe web has gone too far to cause damage either to the article beingproduced or to the machine, operations are terminated and the machine isstopped.

An object, therefore, of the invention is the provision in a machine forfeeding and operating on a web of material, of a line control mechanismwhich detects when a break occurs in the web or when an extra thicknessis encountered therein and thereupon stops further feeding of the webuntil the difficulty has been removed so that damage to the machine willbe prevented.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a schematic perspective view of a web feeding machineincluding a line control mechanism embodying the instant invention andshowing a web of material being fed from a supply roll, the view havingparts broken away and also including a wiring diagram which isassociated with the control mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the control mechanism with itscover removed and with parts broken away and parts shown in section, theview also showing a portion of the web of material in proper position;and

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially along the broken line 3-3 inFig. 2.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing illustrates aportion of a machine for feeding a web of material A from a supply 5roll B, the web passing through a line control mechanism or detector C.The supply roll B of material may be horizontally supported on a shaft Icarried in suitable bearings formed in a. main machine frame i2. 10

The web A is unrolled from the supply roll B and is preferably fedthrough the machine by a pair of horizontally disposed feed rollers l5which are mounted on shafts l6 carried in suitable bearings formed'inthe main frame H. The shafts 15 are rotated in unison by any suitablemeans such as meshing spur gears or the like. The lower shaft I6 isrotated by a pulley l1 which is preferably driven by a belt IS. The belttakes over a pulley I9 mounted on the rotor shaft 2| of an 20 electricmotor 22.

The detector C is housed in a casing 25 formed on a bracket 26 which issecured to the main frame l2 between the supply roll B and the feedingrollers l5 and adjacent the path of travel of 25 the web A. The casingis provided with a cover 21. The detector includes a bell crank lever 3|having a long vertically disposed leg 32 which is located within thecasing 25 and a short horizontally disposed leg 33 which extends outsideof 30 the casing through an opening 34 formed in the bottom thereof. Thebell crank lever is mounted on a pivot pin 36 carried in the casing 25.

Provision is made for preventing dust or other foreign matter fromentering the casing 25 through the opening 34. This is eifected bytrans- -verse webs 38 which are formed on the lever 3|.

The webs slide against flat side wall sections 39 and curved wallsections 4| in the casing 25 around the opening 34 and also in the cover21. .These webs entirely block oif the opening while permitting therocking movement of the bell crank lever.

At its outer end the short leg 33 of the bell crank lever 31 carries aroller which is mounted on a shouldered screw 46 threaded in the shortleg. This roller 45 cooperates with a stationary roller 41 mounteddirectly below it on a shouldered screw 48 which is threaded into a lug49 formed on the bracket 26. v s 50 The web of material being detectedpasses between these rollers 45, 41 as shown in the drawing. The movableroller 45 is pressed against the web, which in turn is pressed againstthe stationary roller 41, by a compression spring Si numeral 93 isconnected which is carried in a spring barrel 52 threaded into a boss 53formed in the casing 25. The inner end of the spring presses against thelong leg 32 of the bell crank lever 3| and is retained againstdisplacement in a cup 54 formed in the leg.

The upper end of the vertical leg 32 of the bell crank lever 3| isprovided with a pair of electric contacts 56, 51 disposed on oppositesides of the leg, Contact 56 is located adjacent a cooperating contactpin 58 which is yieldably retained in a bore 59 formed in a shoulderedstud 6| lockedby a nut 62 in an insulating sleeve 63. The sleeve 53 isthreaded into the casing 25 and is held in place by a lock nut 64. v

The yieldable contact pin 58 is backed-up by a compression spring 65disposed in the bore 59 of the stud 6|. The contact pin 58 is retainedagainst undue displacement by a short pin 66 held in the stud and whichextends into a slot 61 formed in the contact pin 58. An electricterminal nut 68 is threaded on the outer end of the stud 6|.

The other leg contact 51 is disposed adjacent a yieldable contact pin 12which is similar to the pin 58 and which is similarly retained in a studheld by a nut I3 within an insulating sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 is alsothreaded into the ca ing 25 and is held in place by a lock nut 15. Anelectric terminal nut 16 is secured on the outer end of the stud. Thedetector terminals 68, 16 are connected by a wire 11.

Provision is made for regulating the gap or space between the .terminals56, 51 and their cooperating yieldable contact pins 58, 12 so that thedesired sensitive operation of the detector may be had. This is effectedby loosening the nuts 64, 15 on the insulating sleeves 63, 14 andturning the sleeves the desired amount. After such an adjustment thesleeves may be locked in place by the nuts 64, 15.

Referring now to the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 1 it will be observedthat the detector C just described is closely associated with theelectric motor 22 by certain electric circuits and instrumentalitieswhich include a detector circuit E and a motor circuit F. The detectorcircuit includes a wire 8| which connects the detector terminal wire 11to a suitable source of electric energy such as a generator 82.Generator 82 is also connected by a wire 83 to 84 which is part of anormally closed relay switch 85. The other side of the solenoid isconnected by a ground wire 81 to the casing 25 of the detector C.

The relay switch 85 is also associated with the motor circuit F. Forthis purpose the motor circuit includes a relay switch terminal 9| whichis connected by a wire 92 to the motor 22. The other relay switchterminal indicated by the by a wire 94 to a source of electric energysuch as an auxiliary generator 95. The auxiliary generator is alsoconnected by a wire 96 to the motor 22.

Thus during normal operation of the machine electric energy from theauxiliary generator 95 passes along the motor circuit held closed by thenormally closed relay switch '85. This electric energy rotates the motor22. The motor thus turns the feed rolls l5 and hence advances the web Aof material through the machine, the edge of the web passing between therollers 45, 41 of the detector C as hereinbefore described. Under thesenormal operating conditions the contacts 56, 51 of the detector bellcrank lever 3| are disone side of a. solenoid posed midway between theircooperating yieldable contact pins 58, 12, engaging neither of them.This is effected by a proper adjustment of the detector insulatingsleeves 63, 14 in accordance with the thickness of the web A being runthrough the machine.

If the web A should break, the broken end of the web will pass frombetween the detector rollers 45, 41. This permits the compression spring5| to move the bell crank lever 3| toward the right as viewed in Fig. 2and hence bring the lever contact 56 into engagement with the yieldablecontact pin 58. This engagement immediately completes the detectorcircuit E and thus permits electric energy from the generator 82 to passthrough the circuit and energize the solenoid 84 of the relay switch 85.I

Energizing of the solenoid 84 opens the relay switch 85 and therebybreaks the motor circuit F. Breaking of the motor circuit stops themotor and hence prevents further feeding of the web. This prevents thebroken end of the web from passing between the feeding rollers l5 andthus prevents fouling of the web passing through the machine proper.

In a similar manner the feeding of the web is stopped when a thicknessgreater than the thickness of the stock set for passes between thedetector rollers 45, 41. In this case an increase in thickness of theweb will spread the detector rollers apart, thus moving the bell cranklever 3| toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2. This movement of the bellcrank lever brings its contact 51 into engagement with the yieldablecontact pin 12 and thereby completes the detector circuit E in the samemanner as explained for a break in the web. In each instance completionof the detector circuit energizes the solenoid 94 and thus opens thenormally closed relay switch 85 in the motor circuit F, thereby breakingthe latter and stopping operation of the motor and further advancementof the web.

Normal feeding may be resumed when the difficulty is eliminated and thedetector bell crank lever 3| is returned to normal position by theproperthickness of .Web between the rollers 45, 41. This action breaksthe detector circuit E. Solenoid 84 is thus deenergized and the relayswitch 85 is thus returned to its normally closed position in engagementwith the contacts 9|, 93. Closing of the switch is effected by a-spring99. The motor circuit F is thereby reestablished and the motor is againset in operation.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A control mechanism for a machine operating on a web of material fedtherethrough, comprising in combination feeding means including anelectric motor for advancing the web through the machine, a doubleacting detector instrumentality having a pair of spaced contacts andalso a pivotally mounted bell crank lever movable between said contacts,said lever being held in midway position between said contacts by theadvancing web, a roller on an arm of said lever and engaging against oneside of said web, a stationary roller supporting said web on its other75 the engagement of said lever with either of said contacts effecting astopping of said electric motor.

2. A control mechanism for a machine operating on a web of material fedtherethrough,

comprising in combination feeding means ineluding an electric motor foradvancing the web through the machine, a double acting detectorinstrumentality having a pair ofspaced yieldable contacts and also apivotally mounted bell crank lever movable between said contacts, saidlever being held in midway position between said contacts by theadvancing web, a roller on an arm of said lever and engaging against oneside of said web, means for adjusting said contacts relative to saidlever, and electric circuits connecting said contacts with said electricmotor, said detector instrumentality operating to shii't said leverthrough said roller into engagement with one of said contacts when abreak occurs in said web and also operating to shift said lever through35 said roller into engagement with the other of said contacts when anextra thickness is encountered in said web, the engagement of. saidlever with' either of said contacts effecting a stopping of saidelectric motor.

3. A control mechanism for a machine operating on a web of material fedtherethrough, comprising in combination feeding means ineluding anelectric motor for advancing the web through the machine, a doubleacting detector instrumentality having a pair of spaced contacts andalso a pivotally mounted bell crank lever movable between said contacts,said lever being held in midway position between said contacts by theadvancing web, a bodily movable roller on an arm of said lever andengaging against one side of said web, an electric motor circuitconnecting said motor with a source of supply of electric energy, anormally open electric detector circuit connecting said detectorinstrumentality with a source of supply of electric energy, and a relayswitch common to both circuits and normally holding said motor circuitclosed, said detector instrumentality operating to shift said leverthrough said roller into engagement with one of said contacts when abreak occurs in said web and also operating to shift said lever throughsaid roller into engagement with the other of said contacts when anextra thickness is encountered in said web, the engagement of said leverwith either of said contacts closing said detector circuit and operatingsaid relay switch which thereupon breaks the motor circuit and stopssaid motor.

NICHOLAS PELOSI.

